Russia upgrades Northern Fleet airbase

Russian Air Force MiG-31 fighter jets during the Victory Day parade, on May 9th, 2018. (Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters)

The Severomorsk-1 is now able to handle the biggest and most heavy military transport planes, the Russian Navy says.

The renovation works have been completed and the runway taken into operation, the press service of the Northern Fleet informs. The airfield is of key importance for the powerful fleet’s air operations.

The reconstructed concrete runway can handle various aircraft, including the most heavy military transport aircraft.

The Severomorsk-1 is located a few kilometres to the south of the Northern Fleet headquarters city. It was built shortly before the start of WW2 and during the Cold War played a key strategic role as a base for long-distance surveillance, Tu-16, Su-24, Il-38 bombers, and other aircraft.

Upgrades to other Arctic bases

Severomorsk-1 is the Northern Fleet airbase located closest to headquarter city Severomorsk. Several more bases in the Kola Peninsula are operated by the Northern Fleet, among them Severomorsk-3, which houses fighter jets such as the Su-25 and Mig-29.

Russia has a total of ten military airbases in the Arctic. A number of them have been undergoing major upgrades over the last years. Three airfields are located on Arctic archipelagos and will soon be operational round-the-year for aircraft and helicopters of all classes, the Navy says.